Fireplace log conserver



Nov. 12, 1963 A. 1. MENNELL FIREPLACE LOG CONSERVER Filed Nov. 20, 1959 INVENTOR. ALTON I MENNELL I @ArroeA/sx United States Patent 3,116,342 FlREPLACE L8G CGNSERVER Alton l. M enuell, 2il9 Yale Ava, Elyria, Ohio Filed Nov. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 854,398 1 Claim. Ell. 153-12) This invention relates to a fireplace log conserver, and more particularly to a log conserver for igniting fireplace logs and like combustible materials and for retarding combustion of the same after they are ignited.

Many problems and nuisances are encountered in the use of conventional domestic or household fireplaces. Starting the fire has always been djficult and laborious. Once the fire is started, it must be continuously refueled and attended. In order to maintain a satisfactory flame, the logs must be very dry and readily combustible. This very characteristic has the disadvantage that, in an evenings use, for example, it is necessary to add numerous relatively large size logs at frequent intervals to the fire to keep it burning.

Again, when use of the fireplace is no longer desired, it is the usual practice to simply permit the ignited logs to burn themselves out. This latter practice results in the continued heatin g of the room long after the fire is wanted. Such continued burning is undesirable also in that it con stitutes a possible fire hazard if the fire is left unattended. Additionally, there is an unnecessary waste of logs which could be used subsequently if the present fire could be quickly extinguished in a facile manner.

A prominent factor aifecting the rate of combustion of fireplace logs is the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere immediately adjacent the logs. if the air around the logs can be made to contain very little oxygen, the logs will burn at a relatively slow rate and thus last for a substantially longer time. it is impractical to limit the oxygen to such a degree that the logs in their original surface condition will not burn, but, after the surface is charred, much more oxygen is required to effect combustion of the charred or charcoal surface.

Advantage is taken of this phenomenon to provide a gas fired conserver which functions normally to ignite and burn the surface of the logs until the surfaces are coated with charred material, and thereafter, automatically limit the amount of oxygen to less than that required to sustain combustion of the charred surfaces; thereby protect ing the logs from the higher heat resulting from combustion of the charcoal and greatly increasing the burning period.

Additionally, a pleasing and yellow flickering flame, underlain with a reddish glow on the log surfaces, is maintained over and about the logs so that they have the attractive appearance of newly fired logs instead of merely the constant reddish glow of burning charcoal.

An object of the present invention is to provide a combination fireplace lighter and burner for igniting combustible materials in a fireplace in a quick and simple manner and for retarding combustion of such materials at a predetermined rate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination fireplace lighter and burner emanating a flame of raw fuel gas which envelops the logs in the fireplace, such flame consuming a substantial portion of the oxygen in the atmosphere immediately surrounding the logs, with the result that the logs burn at a very slow rate of combustion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination fireplace lighter and burner for retarding combustion of the logs in the fireplace so that only a minimum of logs need be added to the fire over a given period of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a com- "ice bination fireplace lighter and burner with which a fireplace fire may be extinguished quickly and simply without any substantial continued burning of the logs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fireplace lighter and burner which maintains in contact with the fireplace logs a mixture of raw fuel gas or artificial gas and oxygen sufficient to maintain a substantial gas flame at the proper degree of temperature to cause ignition of the logs, the oxygen content of the flame being such as to maintain the surfaces of the logs, after charring, at a temperature whereby the charred or carbonaceous surfaces glow due to the heat, such temperature being sulficiently below the temperature at which appreciable combustion of the carbonaceous material occurs.

A further object of the invention is to dispose the burner flames in such relation to the logs so as to prevent the ready access thereto of oxygen from the atmosphere during combustion of the logs or the heating of the charred surfaces thereof.

Briefly, the foregoing objects are accomplished by the provision of a combination fireplace lighter and burner which, in the preferred form, comprises an elongated gas manifold disposed in the fireplace adjacent the fireplace door and beneath the fireplace logs therein. The gas manifold is suitably connected to ,a gas supply line for receiving raw fuel gas therefrom, such raw gas being unmixed with air. The manifold contains a plurality of spaced gas discharge ports of preselected size which are positioned in predetermined relation on the manifold and below the horizontal plane thereof for discharging the raw gas directly into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the logs.

Suitable valve means such as a fluid regulating valve may be provided at or adjacent the manifold connection to the gas supply line for regulating the amount of raw gas flowing into the manifold. The regulating valve may be used to provide a predetermined rate of flow of gas into the manifold such that the gas flows upwardly over the surface of the logs and constrains air from contacting the logs with the result that a substantial portion of the oxygen in the air is prevented from reaching the logs, thereby retarding combustion of the same.

In the preferred form, the regulating valve does not contain a gas and air mixing means. With this construction, only raw fuel gas is allowed to pass out to the gas manifold and out the manifold ports. Accordingly, the only min ng of the raw fuel gas with air is effected immediately after the gas leaves the manifold ports such that substantially all of the oxygen immediately surrounding the logs is mixed with the fuel gas itself and ignited therewith, there being little remaining oxygen which may reach the logs to aid combustion of the same. Thus, such raw burning gas functions to consume a substantial portion of the oxygen in that portion of the air or atmosphere which immediately surrounds the logs, with the result that combustion of the logs is further retarded.

Also, the raw fuel gas provides a very large and aesthetically pleasing flame in appearance. lience, the invention provides a flame that is pleasing in appearance, a flame that emanates a sufi'icient amount of heat, and which retards combustion of the logs to a substantial degree. When use of the fireplace is no longer desired, the fire may be simply and quickly extinguished simply by turning off the flow of gas to the gas manifold, there being little, if any, remaining flame on or about the logs since such logs never were fully ignited in the first place.

In a modified form of the invention, the gas manifold may be incorporated into the floor bars of a fireplace grate, such that the grate itself becomes the fireplace lighter and burner.

Thus, with the present invention, a very simple and eifective combination fireplace lighter and burner is provided that enables a person to quickly and simply start a fireplace fire, such fire requiring no attention or maintenance of any kind to keep it burning, and with combustion of the fireplace logs being substantially retarded such that one log may last all evening. The invention provides the appearance of a log burning and provides the pleasure of a going fire, yet does so Without the expenditure of any effort and without the necessity of adding additional logs to the fire over a relatively substantial period of time. When the fire is no longer desired, it may be simply and quickly extinguished by turning off the gas.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a conventional domestic fireplace incorporating a lighter and burner manifold constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the manifold shown in FIG. 1 and taken along the line 2-2 therein;

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the invention wherein the same is incorporated in a fireplace grate;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken aiong the line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the manner in which flames from the burner envelop logs disposed in the grate.

Although the invention is shown and described herein in connection with a conventional domestic fireplace, it will be understood that it may be used in any type of fireplace wherein logs or like combustible materials are burned.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional domestic fireplace having the usual floor 12 on which is disposed a combination fireplace lighter and burner constructed in accordance with the invention and generally designated as 14.

The burner 14, in the preferred form, includes an elongated member in the form of a pipe or gas manifold .16 having a longitudinal bore 17 (FIG. 2) and having gas discharge means in the form of a plurality of horizontally spaced radial burner ports or orifices 18, on one or both sides of the manifold and communicating with the bore 17 from the exterior of the manifold. The orifices 18 are preferably disposed in line with or below the horizontal plane of the pipe 16 for purposes to be hereinafter explained. Instead of the ports 18, a simple slit may be used.

The ports 18 do not mix the gas with air. Such mixing occurs after the gas is emitted from the ports. Hence, the present ports 18 are to be distinguished from conventional gas orifices used on gas ranges, such conventional gas orifices functioning to mix the gas with air before the gas passes out of the orifices.

The inner end of the manifold '16 (FIG. 1) is secured to a suitable source or supply of raw fuel gas such as the gas supply line 29. The outer or free end of the manifold 16 is sealingly enclosed with a conventional pipe plug 21.

To regulate the amount of (artificial or natural) raw gas flowing into the manifold 16, a suitable valve means in the form of the fluid regulating valve 22 is provided at or adjacent the juncture of the manifold and the supply line 20, as shown. Since the valve 22 will become quite hot from the fire, the valve handle 24 is preferably of the elongated type for receiving an associated tool 26, or the like, to enable a user to operate the valve from a remote position.

In the preferred form, the regulating valve 22 does not contain a gas and air mixing means. Thus, only raw fuel gas passes out to the gas manifold and out the manifold ports. Accordingly, the only mixing of the raw gas with the oxygen in the atmosphere is effected immediately after the gas leaves the manifold ports such that substantially all of the oxygen immediately surrounding the logs is mixed with the gas itself and ignited therewith, there being little remaining oxygen which may reach the logs to aid combustion of the same. Thus, such raw burning gas functions to consume a substantial portion of the oxygen in that portion of the air or atmosphere which immediately surrounds the logs, with the result that combustion of the logs is retarded.

The invention may be incorporated in a fireplace grate as an integral part thereof, or it may be detachably se cured to the grate and thus form optional equipment therefor.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, there is shown a con ventional fireplace grate 36 having at least one of the floor bars thereof formed of a burner pipe or manifold 32 constructed in accordance with the invention. The manifold 32 is constructed substantially similar to the aforedescribed manifold 16 and contains a longitudinal bore 34 and a plurality of spaced radially disposed burner apertures or orifices 36 on at least one side of the manifold and communicating with the bore 34 from the exterior of the manifold. The manifold 32 is adapted to be connected to a suitable source or supply of raw fuel gas in the form of a gas supply line having a flow regulating valve (not shown) as aforedescribed with reference to the manifold 16.

Referring to FIG. 5, the rate of combustion of the logs '40 is directly related to the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere immediately adjacent the logs. If the air around the logs contains little oxygen, the logs will burn at a relatively slow rate and last for a substantially longer time.

As aforementioned, the manifold 32 (and the manifold 16) is adapted to emit raw fuel gas unmixed with air directly into the atmosphere via the respective burner orifices. This results in a flame that is aesthetically pleasing in appearance, yet which is relatively low in temperature. The resulting flame '42 functions to consume a substantial portion of the oxygen in the air immediately surrounding the logs, with the result that less oxygen is available for the burning of the logs 4t} and the rate of combustion thereof is substantially retared. The invention, in effect, produces a semi-reducing atmosphere. The temperature of the flame is such that the charred or carbonaceous surfaces of the logs glow due to the heat, such temperature being below the temperature at which appreciable combustion of the carbonaceous material occurs. Also, the temperature of the flame is such that initial combustion of the surfaces of the logs is effected. However, once the surfaces are charred to form carbonaceous material, the combustion rate is slowed down, since charcoal requires more air (oxygen) than wood to sustain combustion.

Additionally, the burner orifices 36 are directed radially outward from the bore 34 and slightly downward, such orifices being of a predetermined diameter to produce a flame of substantial size to envelop the logs. With this construction, and with a predetermined flow of gas into the manifold as regulated by the valve, the flame 42 emitting from the orifices is directed under the logs and up the sides and over the top thereof, so as to almost completely envelop the logs, such flame thereby forming, in effect, a gas blanket about the logs which constrains air and the oxygen therein from contacting the logs, thereby further retarding combustion of the same. The downward slope of the orifices also prevents the ashes from collecting therein.

Thus, the invention provides a flame that emanates a satisfactory amount of heat, is aesthetically pleasing in appearance, yet does not permit any substantial burning of the logs. When the fire is no longer desired, it may quickly be extinguished simply by turning off the gas, there being little, if any, remaining flame on the logs since they never were fully ignited previously.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the logs may be placed around and on the manifold 16. Or, instead, a conventional fireplace grate may be positioned over the manifold 16, after which the logs may be placed in the grate in \the usual manner.

The manifold 16 may the used also as a means for igniting the fireplace logs. To effect this, the valve 22 may be replaced with a conventional air and gas mixing valve, such that the resulting flame is more than hot enough to initiate combustion of the logs.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A method of retarding combustion of logs in a fireplace comprising, providing logs having downwardly, forwardly and rearwardly exposed surfaces in spaced rela tion to the fireplace floor, introducing a flow of a predetermined volume of raw fuel gas greatly in excess of what is normally needed along the underside of the logs in a manner to cause the raw fuel gas to flow up and around the downwardly, forwardly, and rearward'ly exposed surfaces of the logs and from a barrier limiting air which can contact the logs to an amount sufiicient to retard combustion of the logs after their surfaces are charred, and maintaining said flow of raw fuel gas as long as the fireplace is in use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 362,648 Miller May 10, 1887 2,007,292 Carleton July 9, 1935 2,319,721 Coker May 18, 1943 2,879,761 Foster et a1 Mar. 31, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 335,255 Great Britain Sept. 22, 1930 539,010 Great Britain Aug. 25, 1941 

